Farm-tractor.



L. B. HARDING. `l FARM TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.1, 1912.

1,1 20,477'. I Patented Dee. s, 1914.

L. E.. HARDING.-

FARM TRACTOR. Y APPLICATION FILED 00T.1, 1912.

Patengd Deo. 8,

1914 SJSHEBTs-SHBET 2.

Snom/Lto@ L.E. HARDING.'

FARM TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OC'IHl, 1912.

1*,1 20,477. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

g5 @Q 99 i9 l HARDING. @ARH TRACTOR. APPLIU'ATIM; FILED 0013.1, 1912.

y Patenta De@.8,1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET '4.v

. serZT/Wdwg L. E. HARDING.

FARM TRACTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED ooT.1.1a12,

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

5 SHEETS--SHEET 5.

@I dumm,

narran srafrns narrateur onirica.

LESTER E. HRDING, 0F SIOUX CTY, 10W A, ASSIGNOR OF .ONE-FOURTH TO EDWARD M WALRD AND ONE-FOURTH T0 HENRY HARRS, OF

SIOUX CITY, IQ'WVA.`

nenni-Tamron.

inedita.

Application led october l, 1912.

and which shall be'so constructed that it may be readily guided and operated and .which shalll be furthermore constructed in such a manner that various farm imple# ments may be conveniently. connected therewith, or hitched thereto for the purpose of heilig drawn over the ground. Y

A. further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the frame structure of the machine in suoli a manner as to enable it to resist any strain to which it is liable to be subjected.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and eiiicient means for governing the different working parts of the machine.

`With 4these and will readily7 appear as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of `parts which will be hereinafter fully'described and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

ln the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred .form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to` when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a tractor constructed in ac cordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with parts broken away -to show the underlying construction. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, enlarged, taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. d is a -longitudinal vertical sectional detail view, enlarged, taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view, enlarged, taken on vthe line 5-5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is .a top plan View of the parts shown in Fig.

A Specification of Letters Patent.

States, residing at other ends in view which Patented Ecc. 8, 191A.

serial No. 723,33.

5. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail View taken on the line 7-7 in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail plan View of a portioniof the shaft and of the boxing or pasting that supports the sp'ed regulating levers. Fig. 9 is aseotional detail view taken on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 `is a sectional detail. view taken onv the line 10-10 in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a detail side View of one of the link rods. Fig. 12 is a detail plan View of 'one of the eccentric shafts. Fig. 13 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 113--13 in Fig. 2. Fig. 14 is a detail sectionalI View of a ball and socket device used on the tractor.

Corresponding parts vin the severaligures are denoted by like characters of reference. The main supporting and guiding wheels of the improved tractor are composed each of a cast iron hub l which is connected -by fla-t iron spokes 2 with the rims 3-3, said rims being made of T-iron. These rims 3-3 support cross bars or cleats 4 which are likewise made of l`iron and which are riveted or otherwise secured upon the rims 3, thus producing a skeleton construction which is both light and durable and which enables the wheels to hug the ground very closely and e'ectively, the T-bars or cleats 4 constituting grouts which will bite into the ground, and thus making very effective tracwhich carries at its -inner 'end a spur wheel 7.

The bearings or boxes 6 Vare associated with and serve to support the frame 8 which is constructed preferably of channel iron 'or steel and which is reinforced by a yoke 9 likewise formed of channel iron or steel and the limbs or side members of which abutupon and are suitably connected with the boxes or bearings outer ends of the latter', Athus serving to greatly strengthen and reinforce the frame structure. The reinforcing yoke 9, which may be regarded as somewhat in the nature of a trasse-extends rearwardly from the bearing members 6, and thev rearwardly extending portions of the side members of the 6 'adjacent to the y limbs ofsaid yokes are terminally connect-l dust-tight casing 13 of sheet iron or other suitable material, whereby all the working The casing 13 is supported mainly on 'the exact counterpart of the shaft 33, said shaft parts are well protected, it being understood that. said casing may be provided with doors to afford convenient access to the interior.

trusses and 11.

The upwardly a `nd downwardly extending tru'ss members 1U and .11 are provided with pivot members 14, with .which bracket members-16 and 17 are hingedly connected, said bracket membersbeing'extended rearwardly, and said bracket members being also curved in the direction of each other,

the upper bracket member 16 being provided .with a downward extension 16 'and the llower bracket member 17 having an upward extension17, both of said extensions being blted -or otherwise firmly secured upon a block or bearing member 18 which is firmly supported by the bracket members 16, 17 a 'suitable 'distance in rearof the casing 13.

The parts are so arranged and proportioned that` the casing 13 which is associated with the' frame-Work 'of the machine, may turn lfreely about the axes of the hinge members or pintles 14, 15v with which the bracket members 16, 17 are connected.

The block or bearing member- .18 is'bored longitudinally to form a bearing for a shaft 19 which may be regarded as constituting the tongue of the rear truck, vfrom the frame 20 of which the said shaft extends in a forvWard direction within the bearing block 18 where it is secured against withdrawal by means of one or more keys 21 which, however, will not interfere with the rotation of the shaft within the bearing-block.- The rear truck is provided with a crank axle 22 having wheels 23 which, owing tothe pivotal connection of the truck frame with the bearing block 18 of the main tractor frame, lwill readily adapt themselves to inequalities in the ground. 4, l

The motor 24, which may be an internal combustion motor of any approved type, is supportedon the main tractor frame, and it serves drive thema-in shaft 25 on which friction disks 26 facing one another are securely mounted. The forward end of the shaft 25 projects through the casing of the machine andcarries the startingcrank 27. l

'Thefrmnevstructure of the machine induid@ brackets 28.1istng from the sdemembersgoiftbeframe midway between'the friction disks 26, and said brackets support bearing boxes 29, the caps lof which 30 are secured by means of bolts 31 having springs whereby said caps are Ycld resiliently in engagement with a transverse shaft which is supported for oscillation in the boxes or bearings. The sha ft 33, as will be seen by reference to the detail YView Fig. 12, is formed with eccentric portions 34, 34 and 35i, 35 at opposite sides of its middle portion. Su1 porte l on the eccentric portions 34, 35 are pairs. of links 3G, 3T, each of said linkeI having a terminal head, or ball 33 seated in a socket 32. said sockets being associated with linksaf), l1 which a re mounted on eccentric portions of a shaft which is an 33 being supported in bearings 12, the caps of which, 43, are secured by means of bolts lelhaving springs 45, whereby said caps are held vresiliently in engagement with the shaft 33. By this manner of mounting the shafts 33 and 33, the said shafts when rocked or oscillated and their respective bearings will be held vwith some degree ofl friction which tends to retain said shafts in adjusted position, as will be readily understood. The shafts 33, 33 are provided with cranks, de-

signated, respectively, 46 and 47, whereby they Amay be rocked in their respective bearings. Ea'ch ofthe links 40 and 41 includes a turn 'buckle which has beenv shown in the shape of a right and left threaded rod 48 having a wrench seat 49, whereby it may be turned to regulate the length yf the link of which it forms a part.

of the shafts 50 and 51, while the shaft 33 is located in advance of said shafts. It Will also be observed, by reference to Fig. .12, that the eccentric portions 34 are diametri-l cally opposite to the eccentric portions 35 of said shafts. When the shaft 33 is rocked in its bearings, it follows that the shafts 50 and 51 carrying the friction wheels 52, 53 will be moved forwardly and rearw'ardlv in opposite directions, placing one of said friction wheels in engagement with the friction 'disk 26 and the other friction wheel in engagement with the friction disk l26. It followszthat by rocking the'shaft 33 Aso as to reverse the relative positions of the friction wheels'y52 and 53, the direction of rotation of said wheels willl be reversed, while said 10. Said boX or casting is toothed' segme nts 57r provided Withdownvvardly extending arms ior from each other 'for .lating the speed when the'vvheels 52, 53 are -driven by engagement Adjustment of the friction Wheels 'by on Va divided shaft 64, said casing of Which appears at Wheels 52, 53A being located on diametrically opposite sides of the motor driven shaft Which carries the disks 26, 25 will be rotated i'nthe same direction.

ing the diametrical alinement of the friction Wheels 52, 53 with respect to the disks 26, 26. On the other hand, by rocking the shaft 33 the shafts carrying the Wheels 52, 53 may be respectively raised and lowered, and the tendency of their fricticnal engagement with thy faces of the disks 26, 26 will thus be to movetheni toward or from the axis ofthe motor. driven shaft-25 carrying the disks 26, 26', thereby decreasing or, increasing the speed of the Wheels 52, 53, as Will be readily understood. rlhis arrangement greatly facilitates the operation of the speed regulating mechanism, which Will be presently described. A

Supported onthe shaft 33 about midway between the ends thereof is a box or casting 55 which is shown in detail in Figs. S, 9 and bored for the passage of shafts 56v having intermeshing Said shafts are also or cranks 58, 59 which are slidably connected with the hubs of the friction Wheels 52, 53, respectively, so that, by rocking the shafts 56the Wheels 52 and 53 may be moved along the shafts 5 0 and 51 toward the purpose of regu- With the disks 26,

26. means of the rock shafts 5,6 may be Aeffectedl when the engine is at rest, and the friction Wheels are positioned out of engagement With the faces of the friction disks. When the machine is in operation and the friction Wheels are in actual frictional contact with the friction disks, the adjustment of the friction Wheels Will be materially assisted by moving said friction wheels 52, 53 to opposite 'sides' of the diameters of the disks 26, 2 6 by the means hereinbefore described.

The shafts 50 and 51 are provided with sprockets 59 connected by chainsV 60 with sprockets 61 on. a counter shaft 62'` from which motion is transmitted by means of a chain oralink belt 63 to a differential gearing differential, the 65, including a sprocket Wheel '66 over Which the chain 63 is guided. The sections of the divided shaft 64 are provided with pinions 67 meshing into the spur Wheels 7 of the axle members 5 which will thus be driven at such speed as may be desired and in the required direc'- tion. The shaft 62 carries a band wheel' or pulley 68V which, when the ized asha stationary engine,lmay be used for transmitting motion toiany machinery that is to be drive" when, ytracer is thus I rl`his op-. eration may be performed Without disturb- .sition, rotation o'l' said shaft bevel gears 86 so as to from.y It Will be seen machine is ntil' turns are frequently to the load to be drawn is sometimes quite V utilired it is onlv necessary to unship a clutch 62 'with which the shaft 62 is provided.

slidably supported plate or frame 69, best seen in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7, carries a pair of small friction Wheels or pulleys 70, 71 which are located adjacent to opposite sides or faces of a fly wheel 72 on the motor driven shaft 25 so that, by moving the supporting frame or member 69, either. one of said Wheels may be placedl in engagement `with the fly wheel, vvhile by placing the supporting member in an intermediate pot f the Wheels 7 O and 71 may be sition both or disengaged from the ily wheel. The shafts of the Wheels 70, 71 are providedjvith pinbeing evident that the limited sliding movel ment ofthe frame or infnber 69 will not unduly slacken or vtighten the chain 79 to interfere with the operation thereof to transmit motion, as required. it is-also evident that a chain tightener of any Well known type may be employed, if desired, but it has not been considered necessary to show any chain tightening means. lt will be readily seen that by shifting the position ofl th frame'or member 69 so as to place either the friction wheel 7 0 or the Wheel 71 in engagement with the fly Wheel 72, the direction of rotation of the shaft 8O mayV be reversed, While by holding the frame or member 69 in an intermediate po- 80 may be interrupted. This mechanism is for the purpose of actuating the steering device of the machine which includes an arcuate channel bar 82 which is mounted in the bearing block 18 and which khas a rack 83 engaged by the pinion 84 on a shaft 85 which is connected with the shaft 80 byv intermeshing receive motion therethat by rotating the pinion 84, the main carrying frame of the tractor including the casing 13, the axle and the transporting Wheels Will swing about the axes ofthe pivot members 14, 15, thereby guiding the machine in thedesired direction. lt Will be seen that the power for steering the machine is thus taken direct from the motor and'thst, the speed being reducedin transmission, a very `desirable and effective steering gear is provided which is considered particularly important tractor Where short be made fand 'where andv desirable Vin a farm heavy.

- tending from The pivot member 14: on the yoke 10 is bored vertically to accommodate the outermost one o f a series of sleeves 87 arranged concentricall-y within one another and 'eX-v the bracket membery 16 through the yoke or brace 10 and, within the casing. .The sleeves 8.7 are of different lengths, the innermost one being 4the longest, and -the length being gradually increased so that each sleeve will be provided with ends that project .beyond the' sleeve wherein vit is mounted. Each one of the several Asleeves is provided at its upper end with l a collar S8 having a radially extending arm v.S9-.y Each' sleeve is llikewise provided at its lower end with a co1larj90 having aradially extending arm. 91. The arms 91fare.vcon

- be controlled by the operator.

nected by links 92 -or in anysuitable and convenient well known manner with the yvarious partswithin the casing that' are to Thus, one of said arms'is connected with'the armi 46 of the rock shaft 33, another with the arm 47of the rock 'shaft 33', another with the member 92 whereby the slide 69of the steer-l ing mechanism is operated,and so on.' The arms 89 vassociated with the upwardly extending ends of the sleeves 87 are connectedv by means- .of 'links .or connecting. rods 93 with hand leversi'94 that are fulerumed on a lever stand 95 which is .supported on the bracket member 16 in convenient proximity to the operator whose seat 96 is mount` ed on spring 97 secured on the bearing...block 18 orin some other convenient position ont the frame structure. The hand levers 94 are to be provided with stops 9S engaging guided over a sprocket wheel 104 on a shaft 105 carrying a hand wheel 106 which is located in a convenient position to be manipulatedby the operator, whosby turning said wheel may cause the carriage to travel along the cross bar 101 to the point'where it shall bedesired to apply draft to` any agricultural or other implement, such as 'a gang plow 107 which, for purpose of illustration, has been shown as associated with the machine. The carriage 10:2 is supported tiltably with reference to the track -bar 101, and a lever108v is provided by means of which the carriage may be tilted so as tol adjust the draft vertically. In the drawing the vlever 108 which is of the bell crank type is shown as having one arm y connected by means of a link 109with the beam of the gang plow 107 which may thus be tilted or adjusted; but it is'obvious that the link 109 may be connected directly with the carriage 102, or it may be connected with any other implement that in turn is connected with the-carriage, the result of the adjustment being the same. A lever 110 has also been shown mounted on the frame of the rear truck for the purpose of effecting vertical Iadjustment of the rear end of the'implement, vsaid lever having an ,arm 111 w'hich in the present instance has been shown as'being connected by a link 112 with the the" saine 4with reference to the ground.

plow for the purpose of raising or lowering I This adjustment may be varied according.

to-i'the'nature of the-implement that is be-V ing` used in connection with the tractor.

- :romthe foregoing description, taken in connectionwith' thedrawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The improved tractor is simple in construction, and the structure is of such a nature that it will be found to be extremely durable and wear-resisting.. vThe machine will be found convenienty for traction work of any kind, whether in the eld or on the roadl` and it may be conveniently utilized as a stationary engine for the purpose of driv ing stationary machinery whenever desired without any change whatever4 in the construction or arrangementA .of the parts' thereof.

Having 4thus described thev invention, what is claimed as new, isr 1. In a farm tractor, a frame structure, upwardly and downwardly extending 'yokes terminally connected with said frame structurefrearwardly' extending brackets pivotally connected ,with the yoke, saidY brackets being terminally curved in the direction of each other, and a bearing block supported between the'f/rear ends of the brackets.

2. In a farm tractor, a frame structure, a motor mounted upon the frame, rearwardly extending brackets connected pivotally with theframe, a bearing block supported abetween the rear ends of the brackets, an arcuate rack supported on the bearing block, a shaft y supported for rotation on the frame structure and having a pinion meshing' with the rack, andmeans for transmitting motion from the motor to the pinion carrying shaft.

3. In a farm tractor, a frame structure, a

motor mounted upon the frame structure, rearwardly extending brackets connected pivotally` with the fra-me, a bearing block secured between the rear ends of said brackets, a nest of sleeves extending through the pivot member which connect vthe upper bracket with thejrame, collarsoonnected Withthe upper and lower ends of the sleeves and having radially extending arms, oontrolling levers supported on one of the rear- Wardly extending brackets, links connecting said levers with the arms extending from the collars at the upper ends of the sleeves and suitable,oonneotingrneans between the arms extending from the collars at the lower freine to be actuated.

In testimony whereof 1n presence of tWo Witnesses.

.LESTER E. HARD Witnesses 'Ja \D. HAR-RIS,

D. Hl HARRIS.'

ING.

I t-lin my signature 

